Not currently on display at the V&A

Fireback

1550-1600 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
England (made)

Simple cast-iron fireback decorated with three crosses formed by impressing stiffened rope into the casting mould. The crosses are likely to have had an 'apotropaic' or evil-averting purpose. Similar symbols appear on other firebacks, door frames, window frames and cauldrons as doors, windows and chimneys were feared as vulnerable to letting in evil spirits.


Object details

Categories
Metalwork
Ironwork
Object type
Fireback
Materials and techniques
Cast iron
Iron
Casting
Brief description
Fireback of simple design, cast iron with three crosses formed by impressing rope into the sand casting bed, made in England, 1550-1600
Physical description
Early fireback of very simple design, the crosses formed by impressing pieces of stiffened rope into the sand casting bed.
Dimensions
  • Height: 615mm
  • Width: 1150mm
  • Depth: 35mm
Gallery label
FIREBACK Cast iron England; 1550-1600 Typical of the very simple designs of early firebacks and in a shape suited to the low, wide, open fireplaces of the 15th and early 16th centuries. The crosses are formed by impressing pieces of stiffened rope into the sand casting bed. Mrs C. Starkie Gardner Collection Museum No. 887-1901(07/1994)
Object history
Simple cast-iron fireback decorated with three crosses formed by impressing stiffened rope into the casting mould. The crosses are likely to have had an 'apotropaic' or evil-averting purpose. Similar symbols appear on other firebacks, door frames, window frames and cauldrons as doors, windowns and chimneys were feared as vulnerable to letting in evil spirits.

Mrs C. Starkie Gardner Collection.
Historical context
The museum is grateful for images and information supplied by the researcher and author, Jeremy Hodgkinson FSA, 30 March 2022
Subjects depicted
Fire
Crosses (Motifs)
Summary
Simple cast-iron fireback decorated with three crosses formed by impressing stiffened rope into the casting mould. The crosses are likely to have had an 'apotropaic' or evil-averting purpose. Similar symbols appear on other firebacks, door frames, window frames and cauldrons as doors, windows and chimneys were feared as vulnerable to letting in evil spirits.
Bibliographic references
  • Gloag, John and Derek Bridgwater. A history of cast iron in architecture. London : G. Allen and Unwin. 1948. 395p., ill. Fig.13, p.15
  • Butterfield, W. Ruskin. Old Wealden Firebacks. The Connoisseur. Dec. 1916. pp.197-206.
  • Lloyd, N. Domestic Ironwork. I. Firebacks. Archaeological Review. LVIII, 1925. pp.58-67.
  • Starkie Gardner, J. Iron Casting in the Weald. Archaeologie. LVI, May 12th 1898. pp.133-164.
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
887-1901

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O324714/fireback-unknown/
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